At a wonderful evening at the UK Picture Editors Guild Awards, held at the Honourable Artillery Company, I was honoured to have received a joint commendation for my portfolio of five portraits, placing the images as third in the UK, in the DMGT Portrait Photographer of the Year category.
As always, much joy in catching up with friends, colleagues and picture editors, some of whom I’ve known for around 30 years! Great to see powerful and moving photojournalism by talented photographers, still helping us understand stories from around the world and the human impact they have. Makes me think that Kodak’s famous “a picture is worth a thousand words” slogan needs to be reworded to “ten thousand words”.
My thanks to the judges, led by the legendary former Sunday Times Picture Editor Ray Wells, for all their hard work in choosing the winning and commended images. Huge thanks also to friend and colleague, Alan Sparrow for his dedication and hard work in making these crucial awards take place.
Portrait Photographer of the Year Portfolio
An XR protestor is seen through the broken window of a bus, which was broken when the Police stormed the bus as the Extinction Rebellion action began. Extinction Rebellion protestors block off the southern end of London Bridge. London, UK. August 31, 2021. Photo: Edmond Terakopian. Lumix G9 and Lumix G Vario 35-100mm f2.8II.Angelika Ghazaryan, a descendant of Genocide Survivors, at the 106th Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide of April 24th, 1915. Members of the British Armenian community gather at the remembrance service for the 1.5 Million Armenians massacred by the Ottoman Empire. US President Joe Biden has become the first US president to issue a statement formally describing the 1915 massacre of Armenians as a genocide by the Ottoman Empire (modern day Turkey) on the day that Armenian communities around the world marked the killing of 1.5 million Armenians. St Yeghiche Armenian Church, London, UK. April 25, 2021. Photo: Edmond Terakopian. Lumix G9 and Voigtlander 29mm f0.8 MFT Super Nokton Lens.Miner Ian Turner, at the end of his shift. Aberpergwm Mine is the only remaining operational coal mine in the UK. It’s the only source of high-grade anthracite in Western Europe. Aberpergwm Mine, Glynneath, Neath, Wales, UK. July 30, 2021. Photo: Edmond Terakopian. Lumix G9 and Leica DG 50-200mm f2.8-4.0 lens.Extinction Rebellion protestors block off the southern end of London Bridge. London, UK. August 31, 2021. Photo: Edmond Terakopian. Leica M10-D and Leica 50mm Summicron (1960s ‘Rigid Summicron’) lens.A mourner commemorates the victims of the Genocide, during a church service, as candles lit in prayer illuminate the back of the church. Joe Biden has become the first US president to issue a statement formally describing the 1915 massacre of Armenians as a genocide by the Ottoman Empire (modern day Turkey) on the day that Armenian communities around the world marked the killing of 1.5 million Armenians. (London, UK) 106th Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide of April 24th. Members of the British Armenian community gather at the remembrance service for the 1.5 Million Armenians massacred by the Ottoman Empire. St Yeghiche Armenian Church, London, UK. April 25, 2021. Photo: Edmond Terakopian. Lumix S1 and Lumix S Pro 70-200mm f2.8 lens.
The images in my commended portfolio were shot on Lumix G9, Lumix S1 and M10-D cameras. The raw files were edited and processed in Adobe’s LightRoom Classic, finished in Exposure Software’s X7, all using fully calibrated Eizo CG monitors attached to an Apple Mac Pro.
Immensely proud, excited, honoured and delighted to share that my portfolio of five portraits, are a finalist in the prestigious UK Picture Editors’ Guild Awards.
The portfolio is shortlisted in the DMGT Portrait Photographer of the Year category, alongside three folios from colleagues. My gratitude to the team of judges, made up of the UK’s picture editors for their stellar work.
Alongside the judged categories, there is also a public vote category. For the first time, photographs from the shortlisted finalists in the nine categories will be put to a public vote, so that you may choose your favourite, for the IMAGO Photograph of the Year. There is a prize of two tickets to New York, chosen at random from the public voters.
Once you have registered and confirmed your registration, you can access the voting page, you will see all selected entries, to vote. You can vote for one photograph only. If you like my highlighted portrait of the miner for the public vote, it is ID: 1105 in the DMGT Portrait Photographer of the Year section. The UK Picture Editors’ Guild will choose a name at random from those who voted and will receive two tickets to New York courtesy of Norse Atlantic Airways.
All images were shot in raw and processed on an Apple Mac Pro using calibrated Eizo CG screens, with LightRoom Classic and finished in Exposure Software’s X7.
Angelika Ghazaryan, a descendant of Genocide Survivors, at the 106th Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide of April 24th, 1915. Members of the British Armenian community gather at the remembrance service for the 1.5 Million Armenians massacred by the Ottoman Empire. US President Joe Biden has become the first US president to issue a statement formally describing the 1915 massacre of Armenians as a genocide by the Ottoman Empire (modern day Turkey) on the day that Armenian communities around the world marked the killing of 1.5 million Armenians. St Yeghiche Armenian Church, London, UK. April 25, 2021. Photo: Edmond Terakopian. Camera Gear: Lumix G9 and Voigtlander 29mm f0.8 MFT Super Nokton Lens.An XR protestor is seen through the broken window of a bus, which was broken when the Police stormed the bus as the Extinction Rebellion action began. Extinction Rebellion protestors block off the southern end of London Bridge. London, UK. August 31, 2021. Photo: Edmond Terakopian. Camera Gear: Panasonic Lumix G9 and Lumix G Vario 35-100mm f2.8II.A mourner commemorates the victims of the Genocide, during a church service, as candles lit in prayer illuminate the back of the church. Joe Biden has become the first US president to issue a statement formally describing the 1915 massacre of Armenians as a genocide by the Ottoman Empire (modern day Turkey) on the day that Armenian communities around the world marked the killing of 1.5 million Armenians. (London, UK) 106th Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide of April 24th. Members of the British Armenian community gather at the remembrance service for the 1.5 Million Armenians massacred by the Ottoman Empire. St Yeghiche Armenian Church, London, UK. April 25, 2021. Photo: Edmond Terakopian. Camera Gear: Lumix S1 and Lumix S Pro 70-200mm f2.8.Extinction Rebellion protestors block off the southern end of London Bridge. London, UK. August 31, 2021. Photo: Edmond Terakopian. Camera Gear: Leica M10-D and a 1960s Leica 50mm Rigid Summicron.
Absolutely thrilled to receive the good news from Los Angeles that three of my pictures have been judged into the winner’s circle with honourable mentions and that two other images have been nominated, in the 15th International Color Awards, from close to 6800 entered images.
Many thanks to all the judges (The Armory Show, New York; The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles; The Art Channel, London; V&A Museum, London; Koller Auctions, Zurich; Preus Museum, Norway; Publicis Groupe, Warsaw; Fila, New York; Chung | Namont Gallery, San Francisco; Kolle Rebbe, Hamburg; Tilton Gallery, New York; Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee; Cornette de Saint Cyr Auctions, Brussels; Podbielski Contemporary, Milan and RedKite NFT, London) and many congratulations to the other winners.
As some would have seen, I’ve started to branch out into creative still life photography, specialising in fountain pen and stationery. It was a thrill to see one of these pictures receive an honourable mention.
Here are the five chosen images. All photographs were made using Lumix cameras, using Leica DG, Olympus and Voigtlander lenses. The images were shot in raw, processed on an Apple Mac Pro with Eizo CG monitors and processed using Adobe LightRoom Classic and finished in Exposure Software’s X7.
As the year comes to a close, I was truly humbled and moved when photography commentator Shira Shavit wrote a piece about my work on her extremely popular LinkedIn.
Shira chose a backstage photograph of opera singer extraordinaire, Ida Ränzlöv, as a leading image and very kindly wrote the following about my work.
“I usually write about photographers who are not among the living. For photographers who have left a priceless legacy. That influenced me. Who left a mark on me. I have written very little about photographers while they are still alive. But this Is one of the pulse-pounding photographers and I am very attached to his work. A brave connection of a viewer In front of the work of the photographer – It’s a special bond . Edmond Is one of them. The seam between photojournalist and artistic photography – He symbolizes for me. Beyond being a photographer of supreme grace he Is also a wonderful human . Photographers show us the world, through the lenses of their eyes. I have a real and sincere fondness for observing the subject Of the world through the lenses of Edmond’s special eye.”
“Photography as a language, of all visual languages, Is known to be the most intuitive, completely unmediated and speaks directly to the brain. There Is a factor In photography that evokes the almost physiological response of the word / sound – wow. The wow factor – I found In his work.” – Shira Shavit, December 2021.
The portrait was shot on a Panasonic Lumix G9 and Leica DG 50-200mm. The raw file was processed in Adobe Lightroom Classic and finished in Exposure Software’s X7.
Three Honourable Mentions at the 16th Annual Black & White Spider Awards
Very happy to share that several of my monochrome images have had awards success at the BW Spider Awards. During the online Gala Ceremony, attended by by over 11,000, I was thrilled to receive three honourable mentions and also discover that five other images had also been nominated.
Honourable Mentions
Photojournalism – A Vigil By Smartphone Lights. Fundraising and Candlelight Vigil. Following miltary action by Azerbaijan with the backing of Turkey from the 27th of September, against the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) and Armenia, a war has ensued in the region. Armenian communities in the diaspora gather to raise funds with the defence effort and humanatarian crisis in Artsakh and Armenia. Members of the Armenian community in the UK gather for a candle lit vigil (using smartphone lights as a result of health and safety rules) and fund raising event for the Armenia Fund (Himnadram) with the support of the Armenian Apostolic Church in London. St. Yeghiche Armenian Church, South Kensington, London, UK. October 10, 2020. Photo: Edmond Terakopian.
Shot on a Lumix S1 and a Sigma 85mm f1.4 DG DN Art lens.
Americana – Classic Corvettes. The Classic Car Drive In Weekend (a new style of socially distanced, COVID-compliant classic car show for buyers, collectors and petrol-heads as well as movie-goers). Bicester Heritage, Buckingham Road, Bicester, Oxfordshire, UK. September 18, 2020. Photo: Edmond Terakopian
Shot on a Lumix S1R and Sigma 85mm f1.4 DG DN Art lens.
People – A chorister is dressed in traditional Armenian choir outfit, with a more modern face visor as protection following guidelines. Churches Allowed To Open After Easing Of UK COVID 19 Lockdown. The Apostolic Orthodox Armenian Church is one of the most ancient Christian institutions. The Kingdom of Armenia was the first state to adopt Christianity as its official religion. Having live streamed services during the pandemic lockdown, St Yeghiche Church opened its doors for public worship on Sunday 5th July 2020. Kensington, London, UK. July 05, 2020. Photo: Edmond Terakopian
Shot on a Lumix S1 and S Pro 70-200mm f2.8.
Nominations
Architecture – Concord Road, Industrial Estate, Park Royal, London, UK. December 15, 2020. Photo: Edmond Terakopian
Shot on a Lumix LX100M2.
People – Brighton beach, as on of the hottest days of the year comes to an end. As the COVID 19 lockdown has been relaxed, thousands of beachgoers flocked to Brighton as temperatures hit 30C (lower than the maximum temperature in South East England, which topped 36C). Authorities in Brighton have taken action to reduce the crowds at their beaches, on one of the hottest days of the year, with fears that social distancing will not be possible. Brighton, UK. August 07, 2020. Photo: Edmond Terakopian
Shot on a Lumix G9 and Leica DG 50-200mm.
Portrait – Professional Dancer Faye Stoeser. The Millennium Bridge, Bankside, London, UK. September 15, 2020. Photo: Edmond Terakopian
Shot on a Leica SL2 and Sigma 85mm f1.4 DG DN Art.
Portrait – A portrait of Jim Connor (former picture editor, The Herald, Glasgow) enjoying a pint of Guiness at The Long Hall pub in Dublin, Republic of Ireland. January 17, 2020. Photo: Edmond Terakopian
Shot on a Sigma fp and Leica 35mm APO Summicron SL.
Portrait – Yoshie At Quant. A portrait of fine art photographer Yoshie Nishikawa at the Mary Quant exhibition. Victoria and Albert Museum. London, UK. February 07, 2020. Photo: Edmond Terakopian
Shot on a Sigma fp and Leica 35mm APO Summicron SL.
All the images were shot in raw and processed on an Apple Mac Pro (2013 model) in Adobe’s Lightroom. The monochrome work was then finished in Exposure Software’s X6. To maintain absolute and precise control during processing, calibrated Eizo CG monitors were used.
I do not condone nor can I be held responsible for reader comments published on this blog; they are the sole responsibility of the reader making the comment.
The Seam Between Photojournalist and Artistic Photography
As the year comes to a close, I was truly humbled and moved when photography commentator Shira Shavit wrote a piece about my work on her extremely popular LinkedIn.
Shira chose a backstage photograph of opera singer extraordinaire, Ida Ränzlöv, as a leading image and very kindly wrote the following about my work.
“I usually write about photographers who are not among the living. For photographers who have left a priceless legacy. That influenced me. Who left a mark on me. I have written very little about photographers while they are still alive. But this Is one of the pulse-pounding photographers and I am very attached to his work. A brave connection of a viewer In front of the work of the photographer – It’s a special bond . Edmond Is one of them. The seam between photojournalist and artistic photography – He symbolizes for me. Beyond being a photographer of supreme grace he Is also a wonderful human . Photographers show us the world, through the lenses of their eyes. I have a real and sincere fondness for observing the subject Of the world through the lenses of Edmond’s special eye.”
“Photography as a language, of all visual languages, Is known to be the most intuitive, completely unmediated and speaks directly to the brain. There Is a factor In photography that evokes the almost physiological response of the word / sound – wow. The wow factor – I found In his work.” – Shira Shavit, December 2021.
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